Canadian NORAD Region and the Canadian Contributions to the NORAD Tracks Santa Program
The Canadian NORAD Region and members of the Canadian Forces have had key roles in NORAD and the NORAD Tracks Santa Program on the internet since their inception. Canadian NORAD Region Jet Fighter Escort for Santa Claus and the NORAD Tracks Santa website Jet Fighters and Santa Claus Escort]] The NORAD Tracks Santa website from 1998 thru 2005 showed that as Santa approached Newfoundland in Canada, a flight of Canadian NORAD Region/Canadian Air Force fighters (CF-18 Hornets) had a rendezvous with Santa in order to provide him an escort/honor guard and ensure that he had no difficulty with the various Air Defense Identification Zones (ADIZ) he must enter flying through Canada. The Canadian NORAD Region still designates escort pilots for the annual Christmas Eve journey of Santa Claus, even for those years when a Santa Cam video is not shown of their escorts duties. i6tsV3UNriI Canadian NORAD Region providing Santa Claus escorts as Santa is flying over Newfoundland, Canada. Link to full size video For the 2010 NORAD Tracks Santa season Santa Claus official escort duties were handled by: 1. In the east by 425 Tactical Fighter Squadron Commander, Lieutenant-Colonel Sylvain Ménard, and Major Eric Haas, an exchange officer from the United States Air Force, launched from 3 Wing, Bagotville, Quebec, Canada, to welcome Santa as the sleigh approached Canadian airspace. 2. In the west by 409 Squadron Commander, Lt.-Col. Eric Kenny, and Captain Chad Ireland of 4 Wing, Cold Lake, Alberta, Canada took over the escort duties as Santa made his way into Western Canada | image3 = MAJ Haas – Dec 2010.jpg | width3 = 200 | alt3 = | caption3 = Major Eric Haas, with the 425 Tactical Fighter Squadron and an exchange officer from the United States Air Force, handling 2010 Santa Claus escort duties in eastern Canada. | image4 = NTS Pilots – 4 Wing – Dec 2010.jpg | width4 = 200 | alt4 = | caption4 = 409 Squadron Commander, Lt.-Col. Eric Kenny, and Captain Chad Ireland of 4 Wing Cold Lake, Alberta, Canada, handled NORAD’s Santa escort duties as Santa Claus made his way into Western Canada on Christmas Eve of 2010. }} In 2009, Lieutenant-Colonel Sean Penney and Captain David Chamberlin of 4 Wing, Cold Lake, Alberta, and Captain Yannick Jobin and Captain Dave Patrick of 3 Wing, Bagotville, Quebec, took on the responsibility of welcoming Santa when he arrives in Canada for his annual Christmas Eve journey. In 2008, Major Kirk Soroka and Captain Dan Walters of 4 Wing, Cold Lake, Alberta, and Captain Benoît Bouchard and Captain Matthew Maurice of 3 Wing, Bagotville, Quebec, took on the responsibility of welcoming Santa when he arrived in Canada on his annual Christmas Eve journey, and escorting him safely through Canadian airspace. In 2007, Captains Dave Moar and Craig Sharp of 4 Wing, Cold Lake, Alberta, Canada, and Captains Colin Marks and Yannick Jobin of 3 Wing, Bagotville, Quebec took on the responsibility of welcoming Santa when he arrived in Canada on his annual Christmas Eve journey, and escorting him safely through Canadian airspace. In 2006, four fighter pilots, Captain Forrest Rock and Lieutenant Colonel Patrice Laroche, of 3 Wing, Bagotville, Quebec, and Captain Dan Walters and Major Chris Hamilton of 4 Wing, Cold Lake, Alberta, were official escort pilots for Santa Claus while he visited Canada during his annual Christmas Eve trip around the world. | image2 = CPT Rock – Dec 2006.jpg | width2 = 150 | alt2 = | caption2 = Captain Forrest Rock of 3 Wing handling 2006 Santa Claus escort duties in eastern Canada. | image3 = MAJ Hamilton – Dec 2006.jpg | width3 = 150 | alt3 = | caption3 = Major Chris Hamilton of 4 Wing handling 2006 Santa Claus escort duties in western Canada. | image4 = CPT Walters – Dec 2006.jpg | width4 = 150 | alt4 = | caption4 = Captain Dan Walters of 4 Wing handling 2006 Santa Claus escort duties in western Canada. | image5 = CPL Blackburn - 2006.jpg | width5 = 150 | alt5 = | caption5 = Corporal Ian Blackburn, of 409 Squadron, 4 Wing, Cold Lake, prepared a CF-18 Hornet that escorted Santa Claus on Christmas Eve of 2006. }} In 2005, four fighter pilots, Lieutenant-Colonel Patrice Laroche and Captain William Radiff, of 3 Wing, Bagotville, Quebec, and Major Alex Day and Captain Dave Monk of 4 Wing, Cold Lake, Alberta, were official escort pilots for Santa Claus while he visited Canada during his annual Christmas Eve trip around the world. In 2004, four fighter pilots, Major Darron Bazin and Captain Jody Edmonstone, of 3 Wing, Bagotville, Quebec, and Captain Damian Unrau and Captain Brian Bews of 4 Wing, Cold Lake, Alberta, were official escort pilots for Santa Claus while he visited Canada during his annual Christmas Eve trip around the world. In 2003, four fighter pilots, Lieutenant-Colonel Paul Kissman and Captain Dave Pletz, of 3 Wing, Bagotville, Quebec, and Captain Bill Hodson and Captain Desmond Brophy of 4 Wing, Cold Lake, Alberta, were official escort pilots for Santa Claus while he visited Canada during his annual Christmas Eve trip around the world. In 2002, three fighter pilots, Major James Manning and Captain Daniel Belanger, of 3 Wing, Bagotville, Quebec, and Captain Desmond Brophy of 4 Wing, Cold Lake, Alberta, were official escort pilots for Santa Claus while he visited Canada during his annual Christmas Eve trip around the world. Canadian NORAD Region Holiday Messages me4LKHYPQMc 2010 NORAD Tracks Santa Holiday Message by Canadian NORAD Region. NORAD Chief Santa Trackers from Canada The first two NORAD Chief Santa Trackers, starting when the NORAD Tracks Program went on the World Wide Web in 1997 thru the 2004 NORAD Tracks Santa season, came from the Canadian Forces. They were the “Founding NORAD Chief Santa Tracker” Major (currently Lieutenant-Colonel(Retired)) Jamie Robertson, Canadian Forces, and the second “NORAD Chief Santa Tracker” Major (currently Lieutenant-Colonel) Douglas Martin, Canadian Forces. , Deputy Director of NORAD Public Affairs and Founding Chief Santa Tracker at NORAD.]] In 1997, Major Jamie Robertson, Canadian Forces, Deputy Director of NORAD Public Affairs at the time, took charge of the annual NORAD Tracks Santa program and expanded it to the World Wide Web, where corporation-donated services have given the tradition global accessibility. Major Robertson served as “Founding NORAD Chief Santa Tracker” thru the 2000 NORAD Tracks Santa season. He was then promoted to Lieutenant Colonel, based on his outstanding success as “Founding NORAD Chief Santa Tracker” at NORAD, and after some follow-on assignments in the Canadian Forces, retired from in 2009 with 20 years service in the Canadian Forces. Lieutenant Colonel (Retired) Jamie Robertson, Canadian Forces, is currently the Director, Communications and Outreach, Commission for Public Complaints Against the RCMP (Royal Canadian Mounted Police). and Santa Claus being briefed on the NORAD Tracks Santa program in October 2002 by Major Douglas Martin, Canadian Forces, Deputy Director of NORAD Public Affairs and Chief Santa Tracker.]] In July 2001, "exactly nine weeks before September 11th," Major Douglas Martin, Canadian Forces arrived at NORAD to replace then Major Jamie Robertson as NORAD’s Deputy Director of Public Affairs. On September 11, 2001, Major Martin witnessing the attacks from inside Cheyenne Mountain. Major Douglas Martin was the NORAD Chief Santa Tracker from 2001 thru the 2004 NORAD Tracks Santa seasons. Even with the challenges NORAD faced in the last half of 2001, such as overseeing Operation Noble Eagle, thanks to the leadership of NORAD’s Chief Santa Tracker, the 2001 NORAD Tracking Santa season was an outstanding success. Major Martin’s tenure as NORAD Chief Santa Tracker saw many successes such as: 1) the appointment of Aaron Carter for the 2002 NORAD Tracks Santa season , 2) first use of a toll-free "1-800" type telephone number for children and the young at heart across the United States of America and Canada to call the NORAD Santa Tracking hotline without incurring long distance charges , 3) The two-year appointment of Ringo Starr, the former Beatle star as primary honorary Santa Tracker for the 2003 and 2004 NORAD Tracking Santa seasons , and 4) Lining up in the numerous celebrities who made video and audio appearances during the 2004 fiftieth (50th) tracking season of NORAD's annual tracking of Santa Claus. He was then promoted to Lieutenant Colonel, based on his outstanding success as Chief Santa Tracker at NORAD. Lieutenant Colonel Douglas Martin, Canadian Forces is currently the Canadian Forces Public Affairs Attaché, Embassy of Canada in the United States, Washington, DC. As part of his duties, Lieutenant Colonel Douglas Martin is the webmaster of CanadianAlly, an electronic newsletter and website maintained by the Canadian Embassy in Washington, DC. CanadianAlly’s mission is to provide American citizens a better understanding of Canada’s role in North American Defense and Global Security issues. See article NORAD Chief Santa Trackers of Renown for more information on the first two NORAD Chief Santa Trackers. NORAD Tracks Santa Program Canadian Partners and Supporters The NORAD Tracks Santa Program has and has had Canadian partners and supporters. KOFNm5qQuNg Air Canada ran the 2010 NORAD Tracks Santa Trailer on all its December 2010 flights in order to boost publicity for the NORAD Tracks Santa Program. Link to full size video Air Canada became a new NORAD Tracks Santa (NTS) Partner for 2010 NORAD Tracks Santa season. Air Canada boosted publicity for the NORAD Tracks Santa Program thru a public service announcement in its December 2010 issue of its in-flight magazine, by running the 2010 NORAD Tracks Santa Trailer video during all Air Canada flights, and by working with the NORAD Tracks Santa Program on other publicity events. From the 2005 thru the 2008 NORAD Track Santa seasons, one could send e-mail to Santa Claus at the North Pole from the NORAD Tracks Santa website. For the 2008 NORAD Track Santa season, this was handled by the NORAD Tracks Santa partner for e-mail to the North Pole, Canada Post (Canada's Post Office). All elements of Canadian Forces in the air, on the land, and at sea have been supportive of the NORAD Tracks Santa program. }} Pre-2005 CBC and Other NORAD Tracks Santa Video and Audio Clips featuring or by Canadians Canadian NORAD Region – NORAD Tracks Santa Program - Public Affairs Contacts :1. Lieutenant Jordan Woodman, Canadian NORAD Region Public Affairs, at (204) 833-2500, ext. 2028. :2. Overall Canadian NORAD Region - Public Affairs Contacts ::E-mail: +PA@forces.gc.ca ::Telephone: (204) 833-2500, ext. 6795 Fun Facts – Canada – Santa Claus – North Pole – Christmas and the Winter Holiday Season :* Santa Claus is a Canadian !! In December 2008, Canadian Citizenship and Immigration Minister Jason Kenney officially declared Santa a Canadian citizen. :* The Magnetic North Pole is currently (as of 2011) within Canadian boundaries and Canada Post delivers over one million letters to Santa Claus each year free of charge. Besides Santa, free postage is reserved for letters to the prime minister and members of parliament. :* The Geographic North Pole is also likely part of Canada as well. :* Canada Post was the first postal service in the world to commission Santa stamps. The Santa stamps issued from 1970, 1975, 1985, 1991 through 1993 and 1996 totaled 613,790,000 by 2003. :* Toronto’s Santa Claus Parade, one of Canada’s largest winter tourist attractions, is the oldest and longest-running Santa Claus parade in the world. No other legendary icon has convinced the City of Toronto to close approximately six kilometers of main transportation route for an annual parade. :* North America’s and the world’s top expert on Santa Claus and Christmas is Canadian Gerry Bowler, a history professor at the University of Manitoba and the author of Santa Claus: A Biography, of The World Encyclopedia of Christmas, and webinar host at the University of Manitoba on Christmas and Santa Claus. References External links * Canadian NORAD Region Webpage at NORAD (English) * 1st Canadian Air Division - Canadian NORAD Region Webpage (English) * Canada Post Write to Santa Webpage (English) * "Canadian institutions keep us believing in Santa", Wednesday, December 14, 2005, WebWire Category:NORAD Tracks Santa Wiki